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The Theory of Five Elements
The Theory of the Ultimate Fu Xi (伏羲) is considered to be one of the 3 Sovereigns of the ancient period of the "3 Sovereigns and 5 Emperors" of China (ca. 2850 - 2200 B.C.) and was said to have revealed the 8 trigrams: First Fu Xi (Fushi) drew three straight lines to represent Heaven. As opposite he drew three broken lines to represent Earth. A broken line below two solid lines signaled Wind and Wood; one solid line below two broken lines signaled Storm and Thunder. Water had one solid middle line between two broken lines; Fire, its opposite, had one broken middle line between two solid lines. Two broken strokes below a solid line showed Mountain; two solid strokes below a broken line showed Lake. The definitions of Fu Xi: * the Limitless (Wuji) produces the delimited and this is the Absolute (Taiji) * the Absolute (Taiji) produces two forms, named Yin and Yang * the two forms Yin and Yang produce four phenomena, named Lesser Yang, Great Yang (Tai Yang - also means the Sun), Lesser Yin, Great Yin (Tai Yin - also means the Moon) * the four phenomena act on the eight trigrams (Pa Kua), eight eights are sixty-four hexagrams. This is the basic Theory of the Ultimate (the origin of all things and creatures), giving rise to the eight diagrams. The two forms Yin and Yang are two complementary and contradictory forces of any phenomena in our universe, the principle of opposite polarity and duality. Yin is described with two short lines — — Yang is described as one continuous line —— These opposing forces, which exist in everything found in nature, are not seen as evil and good, but as dark and light, female and male, earth and heaven. One cannot exist without the other. Authors Martin Palmer and Zhao Xiaomin of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture (ICOREC) explain: "Yin is female, moist, cold, the moon, the autumn and winter, the shadow and the waters. Yang is male, dry, hot, the sun, the spring and summer, the bright and the dry land. They struggle with each other for supremacy. From their struggle comes the dynamic which drives the whole of life. For they are found locked together in every being, every situation. As one seems to be gaining the ascendancy, the other arises for they each carry the seed of the other within them as the Yin-Yang symbol so clearly illustrates". The Eight Trigrams symbolize the eight natural phenomena: Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Water, Fire, Mountain and River (Lake, Marsh). According to Fu Xi, the four elements are Metal, Wood, Water and Fire, which are omnipresent. These Eight Trigrams are arranged into their opposites, forming an octagon called Bagua - eight (ba) area (gua) - or Pa Kua, connecting two neighboring corners of the octagonal trigram towards the center to form one area (gua). The center contains the Yin and Yang symbol. Each of the areas shows three rows from the center to the outer side. Each single line is in fact the symbol of either Yin, either Yang. Looking at the image, man can see that there are 3 circles with symbols, each circle has 4 Yin and 4 Yang and any opposite 2 trigrams have 3 Yin and 3 Yang. The Book of Changes has sixty-four possible combinations of trigrams. The book lists the meaning of each combination, which the individual must interpret in order to decide what to do. The basic ideas are: balance through opposites and acceptance of change. The Theory of the Five Elements The Theory of the Five Elements - Wu Xing (Chinese: 五行; pinyin: wǔxíng), also named the Five Phases, the Five Movements, the Five Processes and the Five Steps or Stages, often shortened to Five Elements, is the concept in Chinese philosophy conceiving the world as dynamic states or phases of constant change. The basic substances of the material world according to the Theory of the Five Elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. This order of presentation is known as the "mutual generation" (相生) sequence. The Five Elements come from ancient trigrams: * Wood - corresponds with the trigrams of Wind and Thunder * Fire corresponds with the trigram of Fire * Earth - corresponds with both the trigrams of Earth and Mountain * Metal corresponds with the trigrams of Heaven and Lake (River, Marsh) * Water corresponds with the trigram of Water The Theory of the Five Elements describes the interaction and relation between Yin and Yang. Taoism (Daiosm) theories use symbols to describe interactions and relationships between phenomena of reality, hence each of the Five Elements represent an aspect of a dynamic process. Not only time changes things, but since everything changes within itself anyway, the Theory of the Five Element is simply an observation of natural, creative changes; and it is the natural world confirming that all forces and energies in nature can be in constant smooth and harmonious transition from one phase to another - just as one season becomes the next. All material things are made of a single or a combination of the Five Elements, since these are the fundamental components. All Five Elements are equally important and should form a balance, while being in constant move and cyclical change (phases). Each phase’s peak already consists of its decline, then forwarding the prior received / gathered energy from one element to the following element. The generating or controlling element is building up the energy to its own peak, before the decline starts again. This interactive process is being constantly repeated, forming a never ending, though balanced circle. The generating or enhancing cycle (生; Shēng): one element (serving as parent) enriches, nourishes, strengthens, promotes growth and development of the following element (serving as child): Wood feeds Fire - Fire creates Earth - Earth bears Metal - Metal enriches Water - Water nourishes Wood In other words: Wood is the supporting element of Fire. Fire can release the power of Wood; Fire is the supporting element of Earth. Earth can release the power of Fire; Earth is the supporting element of Metal. Metal can release the power of Earth; Metal is the supporting element of Water. Water can release the power of Metal; Water is the supporting element of Wood. Wood can release the power of Water. The controlling or destructing cycle (剋,克; Kè): one element suppresses, controls, dominates, overcomes, weakens another element, preventing it from establishing its power: Wood can break the Earth - Earth can soak up Water - Water can control Fire - Fire can melt Metal - Metal can chop Wood The overacting cycle (Cheng): each element excessively restrains another beyond the normal extend. This usually occurs when an element is in excess: too much Wood overacts Fire - too much Fire overacts Earth - too much Earth overacts Metal - too much Metal overacts Water - too much Water overacts Wood The weakening or insulting cycle (侮, Wǔ): an imbalance within the controlling cycle, where that, what is destroyed, injures the destroyer. Each element can insult the one that normally restrains it. The cycle normally occurs when the balance is broken, especially when one element is insufficient: too much Wood insults Metal - too much Metal insults Fire - too much Fire insults Water - too much Water insults Earth - too much Earth insults Wood Interrelation of the cycles The generating or enhancing cycle (Sheng) together with the controlling or destructing cycle (Ke) form a feedback system, which keeps the system / body / universe in balance. The Sheng and Ke cycles ensure that each element is connected with the other four elements. Example: Wood restrains Earth (see Controlling Cycle), but at the same time, the Earth promotes Metal (see Enhancing Cycle), which than restrains the Wood (see Controlling Cycle). In this instance, Metal makes sure, that Wood does not restrain Earth too excessively. Unbalanced cycles Cheng (overacting) and Wu (weakening) represent a conflicting (fighting) aspect because of the existence of too much or to few from an element. Example: Wood can break the Earth, but Earth can bury Wood - Earth can absorb Water, but Water can cover Earth - Water can extinguish Fire, but Fire might evaporate Water - Fire can melt Metal, but Metal might not melt before Fire is extinguished - Metal can cut Wood, but Metal might become dull before breaking Wood. Notes: * 1 Change of seasons - every third month - according to other sources * 2 Lake, River, Marsh The ancient theories and Soul's Sign A modified version of The Five Elements Theory is applied in the game regarding the Sign of the Soul. Soul's Signs used in the game are: Fire, Air, Earth and Water. Each Soul's Sign restricts one element (the damage inflicted against that element is increased) and it is restricted by other element (the damage received from that element is increased), as below: Notes: * a Soul without sign is restricted by a Soul with sign * both types of Souls - Red Soul (Physical Attack) and Blue Soul (Spiritual Attack) acts in the same way as above. The only difference is in the shape of the soul: Recommended Soul's Signs by classes: * Voodoo - Fire * Lotus with Ice build - Earth, Lotus with Thunder build - Air * Minstrel with Fire build - Water, Minstrel with Poison build - Fire * Taoist with Thunder Build - Air, Taoist with Ice build - Earth * Royalty - Air or depending on the best element * Assassin - Earth * Shaolin - Air * Pyromancer - Water * Beggar with Poison build - Fire, Beggar with Fire build - Water * Sphinx - Air (each class use the Soul's Sign that restricts the element which is used as main attack element of the class) __NOWYSIWYG__